As the Nigerian Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) is gaining wider acceptance and accolades, Higer Bus Company Limited of China is concluding plans to build a world class bus manufacturing plant in Nigeria. Towards this end, Higer Bus is entering into a tripartite partnership with two other Nigerian companies, Globe Motors and Asia-Africa International FZE Company located in Lekki Free Trade Zone.
Senior officials from Higer Bus are currently in Lagos holding series of meetings with their Nigerian partners; working out detailed logistics required to commence bus building through Semi Knocked Down (SKD) assembly operations but with firm commitment to upgrade to manufacturing operations within a short timeline.
The partnership is being mid-wived by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) represented at the meeting by the Acting Director General, Mr. Luqman Mamudu. Mr. Mamudu was presented with a prototype image of Higer Bus by officials of the company at the meeting.
Higer Bus Company Limited, also known as Higer Bus, is a Chinese bus manufacturer based in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. It was established at the end of 1998. HIGER is China’s leading exporter of buses and coaches whose products are available in more than 100 countries and territories in South Asia, Middle East, Africa, Russia, East Europe and the Americas and the company continues to experience significant annual growth in both market expansion and production capability.
Higer Bus and Coach is the third largest and the fastest growing bus manufacturer in the world. It is known for its innovation and dedication to research and development.
Higer’s manufacturing facility in the Jiangsu Province China has the capacity to produce 35,000 buses per year. The production base for medium, large and city buses covers 800,000 sqm (equivalent to 45 Melbourne Cricket Ground fields) and hosts advanced-equipped assembly lines.
Because quality is not negotiable, Higer has strictly implemented the quality standards of the national CCC certification, ISO/TS16949 and ISO14001. Higer has established strict regulations on the screening, assessment and verification of suppliers, with all the spare parts coming from reliable advanced enterprises, both domestic and international.
Higer has over 300 different bus and coach models from 5-18 meters in length, commercial/tourism coaches, city buses, energy buses, school buses, mini buses, coaster series, commuter buses and pick-up vans.
All Higer vehicles are reputed to be safe, fuel efficient, reliable and durable. The company presently employs more than 6000 people worldwide.